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A2 UP FRONT
Wednesday 15 March 2017
As the Dutch go to the polls:
Rutte vs. Wilders puts Dutch elections in a stark light
MIKE CORDER over the last four years, but
RAF CASERT as the election approach-
Associated Press es the Dutch economic
THE HAGUE, Netherlands recovery has gathered
(AP) — Amid unprecedent- pace and unemployment
ed international attention, has fallen fast. So the prime
the Dutch go to the polls minister is urging voters to
Wednesday in a parlia- stick with him.
mentary election that is Rutte is casting the elec-
seen as a bellwether for tion as a two-horse race
the future of populism in a between his VVD party
year of crucial votes in Eu- and the Party for Freedom
rope. led by Wilders. The choice,
With the anti-Islam, far-right Rutte says, is simple: Chaos
lawmaker Geert Wilders or continuity.
running just behind two- The prime minister says
term right-wing Prime Min- Wilders’ one-page mani-
ister Mark Rutte in polls, festo — which pledges to
the Dutch vote could give take the Netherlands out of
an indication of whether the European Union, shut
the tide of populism that Right-wing populist leader Geert Wilders and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, left, leave the stage its borders to all immigrants
swept Britain toward the after a national televised debate, the first head-to-head meeting of the two political party leaders from Muslim countries,
European Union exit door since the start of the election campaign, at Erasmus University in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Mon- shutter mosques and ban
and Donald Trump into the day, March 13, 2017. the Quran — would lead to
(Yves Herman POOL via AP) chaos. Wilders fired back in
White house has peaked. a debate Monday that it
The election in the Neth- would allow the Dutch “to
erlands comes ahead of become the boss in our
polls in France and Germa- own country again.”
ny over the next half year, “The Netherlands does not
when right-wing national- belong to all of us,” he pro-
ists will also be key players. claimed. Ruud van Don-
During a final election de- gen, a 49-year-old chauf-
bate among leaders from feur, said he would vote
the parties vying for seats for Wilders’ PVV as a pro-
and control of the govern- test against more flexible
ment, Wilders piled on the contracts that mean fewer
anti-Islam invective while people have jobs for life
Rutte sought to underscore which used to be a staple
his leadership experience. in Dutch welfare state.
None of the party repre- “Do you know what’s the
sentatives made a critical deal with jobs? They last for
faux-pas or scored points two years and then people
that should alter campaign are on the street,” he said.
dynamics established over Even if Wilders wins the
months. popular vote Wednes-
The final days of campaign- day, the Dutch system of
ing have been overshad- proportional representa-
owed by a diplomatic crisis tion for the 150-seat lower
between the Dutch and house of Parliament will
Turkish governments over likely keep him out of gov-
the refusal of the Neth- ernment since all main-
erlands to let two Turkish stream parties, with Rutte
government ministers ad- leading the way, have re-
dress rallies about a consti- jected working with Wilders
tutional reform referendum in a coalition.
next month that could give “Wilders will play no role in
President Recep Tayyip the formation of a govern-
Erdogan more powers. It ment,” said Amsterdam
showed Rutte as refusing Free University political
to bow to pressure from analyst Andre Krouwel.
outside, a stance which “But Wilders plays a ma-
has widespread backing in jor role in the tone and
the nation. content of the campaign
“It is my task to keep the and Wilders — even if he
nation safe and stable doesn’t win a single seat —
and deal with these kind of has already won because
people,” said Rutte. the two biggest right-wing
Rutte has driven through un- parties have taken over his
popular austerity measures policies.”q
